Updated on January 3, 2025 – 6:31 p.mReading time: 2 min.
The new year starts with a celestial spectacle: the Quadrantids can be seen. However, the weather does not allow a view of the shooting stars everywhere.
Shortly after the New Year’s Eve fireworks, an astronomical spectacle makes the sky sparkle: in the first week of January, the Quadrantid meteor shower can be seen in the sky. Most shooting stars are expected on the evening of January 3rd.
However, the weather will only cooperate to a limited extent on Saturday night: the German Weather Service (DWD) expects some clouds and some snow, especially over central Germany. Otherwise, the view of the shooting stars should remain clear.
Uwe Pilz, chairman of the Association of Star Friends based in Bensheim in southern Hesse, explains when looking towards the sky is most promising. “The maximum is, as they say, pointed, i.e. short-lived,” says Pilz. “It’s a good idea to start watching right at the beginning of the night.” The later, the fewer shooting stars are likely to be discovered.
The radiation point is in the constellation Bootes (Bear Guardian), which is why it is also called Bootids. At the beginning of the night, this point is just above the horizon in a north-northwest direction, explains Pilz. “That’s bad news at first.” But since up to 100 meteors are expected per hour, you can certainly see a few of them.
The shooting stars are caused by a cosmic dust cloud. As the dust particles enter the atmosphere flat, they leave long trails, as Pilz explains. These could extend over large parts of the sky.
If you can’t observe the Quadrantids, you’ll have another chance in April. Then the next major meteor shower is caused – by the Lyrids. These peak after midnight on April 22nd, when up to 18 shooting stars can be seen in the sky per hour.